The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, today met with Mr. Wayne Farmer, President of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC), at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, to discuss how Canadian private sectors can support ASEAN’s priorities under the Philippines’ C
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended a reception hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN on the occasion of the visit of H.E. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM)
JAKARTA, 22 April 2026 – H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, today received H.E. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat for a high-level bilateral meeting and the ceremonial handover of th
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today hosted a dinner for Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN, Ambassador M.I. Derry Aman, providing an opportunity for a wide-ranging and substantive exchanges on key regional priorities. The discussions reflected a sha
The 22nd ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials Meeting (ARSOM) convened today in Kazan, Russia, as ASEAN and Russia mark the 35th year of their relations, with a Commemorative Summit scheduled to be held in June 2026 in Kazan. The Meeting reviewed progress under the ASEAN-Russia Comprehensive Plan of Act
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today had a meeting with Ambassador of Australia to ASEAN, H.E. Tiffany McDonald, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They exchanged views on advancing ASEAN-Australia cooperation, particularly in light of the 5th anniversa
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the United States Mission to ASEAN, Joy Sakurai, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern, and discussed
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Permanent Representative of Myanmar to ASEAN, H.E. Ambassador Aung Myo Myint, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They exchanged views on the latest developments in ASEAN, including ASEAN Community-building and regional inte
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with Ambassador of the Russian Federation to ASEAN, H.E. Evgeny Zagaynov, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They exchanged views on further strengthening the ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership, particularly in light of the 35th ann
The First Meeting of the Group of the East Asia Summit Ambassadors in Jakarta in 2026 took place today at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. This first EAS Group Meeting in 2026 under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship was chaired by H.E. Amb. Evangeline T. Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq, Permanent Rep
